National Republican., 1887-02-23
Justin McCarthy's Lecture.

ap eNuctIy o:oU O'CLOCK iast night speaker
Carlisle went forward to the reading desk
Of the Congregational Church, and in few
hearty and appropriate sentences intro
duced Mr.. Justin Mccarthy, the lecturer OF
the evening. Mr.. Carlisle described his
friend as the most variousy distinguished
Of living Irishmen, as one who is welcomed
wherever the English language is spoken,
and who is held in specially high esteem by
the people Of the United States.
Mr.. Mccarthy, who was received with
loud applause by large audience, which
was kept deeply interested until 10 o'clock,
commenced his address by saying that the
existing political parties OF Great Britain
known roughly as liberal and conservative
were formed by the revolution Of 1885,
which finally disposed OF the Stuarts and
inaugurated the reigning dynasty. Those
parties have, at different times, been sub
divided into different sections, and at pres.
ent the liberal party includes ''straight"
liberals, or old wings, who 20 for slow aud
easy progress; the radicals, who want
to go fast and far, and the
essionists-more generally known
as liberal unionists-who are very progress
sive when nothing has to be done, but who
vote with the tories when great liberal
minister proposes any really valuable meas
ure Of reform. The tory party also con-
taiDs cliaues, butintclligence and stupidity
are the broad dividing lines. The abiding
principle of torylsm is modification of
the ''divine right principle' which Is wa.
tered down as regards the monarch but ex.
tended over the peerage and arlstocratic
classes.
Exclusive of the Irish party there are
now four parties in the house of commons,
viz: Liberals, radicals, liberal-unionists,
and conservatives
"a ha Il
eeribed the FUNCTIONS of the house of lords.
Having declared that the low wcr house Is prac-
tlcally one omnipotent In political matters,
he described the house Of lords as a place
to which men were sent as to apenal settle
ment for life. The upper house possesses
large theoretical powers, but is only eX-
pected to use them as the Vicar of Wake
fields daughters were expected to use
their gold coins-never to use them
at all And II, said Mr.. Nc.
earthly, the house of lords should ever
be tempted to put seriously In use its great
nominal privileges the consequences to
that solemn assembly will be damaging,
not to say awful.
The speaker then went on to draw q
series OF remarkable word pictures of
leaders in the different parties. Those
who have read "The History of Our own
Times" will recall the mastery portraits of
public men in England from the accession
OF Queen Victoria TO the present
celebrities not included in the
published history was carried out last night
with the speakers fine artistic skill. The
commonplace Mr.. Smith was tickcd off In
very few words. When the tories want a
good leader, said the lecturer, they borrow
one from the liberals, and the recent loan
was Mr.. Goschen. This gentleman received
ample praise as q flnancier, but was de.
scribed as one who, not an Englishman, out
jiugoed the jingoes In his yearnng after
''the glory and honor Of England, at home
and abroad." The banking firm to which
he belonged had managed the financial
affairs of five different Egyptian khedives.
1t was not known exactly how the khedives
came out of the transaction, hut Mr..
Gosehen's firm came out with great wealth.
Mr.. Goschen's temperament Is that OF the
typical liberal lsecessionist.
Lord Randolph Churchill was described
In more favorable terms than would have
been expected. Mr.. Mccarthy considers
him, with all his faults, the most interest
ing member OF the tory party, and the only
one with any real qualifications for leader.
He began near the top of the tree ana
when he had reached the highest point,
jumped down and retired into private life,
no doubt having excellent personal reasons
for doing so.
Lord Hartington's integrity, candor, and
eaRerness were then dwelt upon, aud, after
saying that Lord Salisbury would have
great political power II there were no house
OF lords, the lecturer passed on TO the
liberal benches. The mention OF Mr..
Gladstone's name called forth loud ap-
plause, and his portrait was drawn with
wonderful distinctness and q tenderness
which verged upon affection. Mr.. Nc.
Carthy said that he had during his life in
parliament heard speeches from John
Bright aud Joseph Cowen. 'of Newcastle,
which reached higher atmosphere OF elo-
quenee than had been ever attained by
Mr.. Gladstone, but those were on very rare
occasions, whereas Mr.. Gladstone can
make half dozen eloquent speeches
upon different subjects In the course
OF one evening, and his hearers al
ways regard the last as the very best
Upon the whole, as parliamentary de-
hater, no man In the house OF commons
during my acquaintance with that assembly
can be fairly compared with Mr. Gladstone. u
John Morley, as the literary man in par
lament, came In for handsome eulogy as
an author, public speaker, a debater, and
as the only chief secretary of Ireland who
had ever gained the confidence and affec-
tioD Of the Irish people.
Mr.. Parnell came last, but by no means
least' His character and career were de.
sCribed In detail, sand" concluded Mr..
Mccarthy, "whon the work with reference
to lrelandupon which we are now engaged
shall have been fully accomplished the
names Of two great statesmen shall be in
scrlhed upon the monument which cele-
brates that event. the names are William
Ewart Gladstone and Charles Stewart Par
nell.n
During the address Mr., Mccarthy paid q
glowing tribute to the memory OF George
Wellington, which, he said, sis to-day
being hoDored in every corner OF the civil.
lied world.n